volatile
by CanonTheShip
Summary: vol·a·tile: having or showing extreme or sudden changes of emotion; likely to become dangerous or out of control. [songfic collection]
1. steal my girl

**title: **steal my girl  
**summary: **because sakura has got everyone's eyes on her but sasuke does _not_ like to share.  
**genre: **romance/humor/fluff/tiny bits of angst bc sasuke duh  
**rating: **k  
**notes: **semi-crackfic i guess. i don't really know. enjoy anyway!

* * *

_**chapter one: steal my girl**_

_I don't exist_  
_If I don't have her_  
_The sun doesn't shine,_  
_The world doesn't turn,_

_Everybody wanna steal my girl_  
_Everybody wanna take her heart away_  
_Couple billion in the whole wide world  
__Find another one 'cause she belongs to me_

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke was _not _happy.

Well... he was rarely happy but right now he was absolutely _fuming_.

Haruno Sakura annoyed him to no end. Her incessant chattering, her constant worrying, and the fact that she had no idea what that _dress _was doing to all the boys in Konoha.

All day he's been trailing behind her as her hips swayed carelessly from side to side, eliciting wandering glances from everyone they pass. It didn't help that she _always _felt the need to smile at all of them. The only thing that made Sasuke smirk was the fact that a single glare from him could scare those pests away.

The thing is, Sasuke _knew _that she was his since the moment she laid eyes on him. It wasn't even his arrogance speaking this time. She made the fact painfully obvious. And while it annoyed him back then, he was grateful for it now, though he would never tell just about anyone that.

She didn't know how relieved he was that she still wanted him. It took him years to see what he had right in front of him but when he did, he didn't hesitate to take it. And it took a whole lot of work from the Uchiha to get her parents to come around to him. But he managed it. Because there was nothing the world could throw at him that would make him give up on her.

She was _it _for him.

The only one.

He was sure of it.

So it ground on him that every time they passed a fellow shinobi, she was completely oblivious to their blatant advances.

First it was Lee. And it's not like Sasuke didn't know what was coming the second they bumped into him. It's just that the thick-browed boy completely ignored the fact that she was spending the day with _him. _And _only _him.

"Sakura-chan!" Lee practically shouted in her ear. "May I just say you look absolutely stunning today? Like a petal floating on the wind!"

Sakura could do nothing but laugh nervously and attempt a normal conversation with the boy. There was nothing she could do to to shake him though, so they continued to walk side by side while Sasuke was forced to glare daggers into the back of the other boy's head.

Then they just came one after the other.

Neji, with his infuriatingly calm expression and subtle flattery. Kiba, trying to pull his so-called charm on the pink haired kunoichi. Heck, even Choji was offering her some of his food! He never does that!

And when the hell did Gaara get here?!

The sole Uchiha was about to blow a gasket.

She was his!

_His!_

But did anyone seem to care? Of course not.

None of them knew what it felt like to live without her. They didn't know how meaningless his life was if she wasn't there to drag him out of his own despair. He'd bet on his honor that she made his life brighter than theirs could ever be.

And now they're trying to take her away from him!

The simpering idiots were crowding around her, trying to get her attention. You'd think Sakura would be uncomfortable with all the unexpected attention but she seemed to be enjoying it.

The nerve of that girl!

Sasuke growled audibly, grasping her wrist and pulling her away from the others. She let out a small gasp of surprise but immediately softened when she saw it was him.

"Hey, Sasuke-kun. Did you want something?" she asked, so sickeningly sweet that he wanted to bury his face into the crook of her neck.

"Tch. Let's get going, Sakura. We made reservations," he willed his face to remain impassive but he could already feel the vein on his forehead throbbing relentlessly.

"Oh, right!" She looked up at the sky and frowned slightly. "It's still early though. Don't you want to hang around with the others for a while?"

_Not particularly._

"We don't want to be late." His grip on her tightened and her eyes widened, her frown deepening.

"Let go of me, Sasuke." Her words were deliberate. When had the simpering fangirl transform into this level-headed woman?

He shook his head. _No._

"Sasuke, what's wrong?" Fine. Let him drown in those green eyes while the others glare.

Then, quick as lightning, another boy took hold of her other wrist. He didn't even bother to see who it was before pushing him away and sending the boy (was it Lee?) straight into a concrete wall.

"Sasuke! What on earth is going on with you?" Sakura's pitch was reaching supersonic levels. He cringed inwardly.

Gathering his resolve and looking her straight in the eye, he spoke words that would make any of his other fangirls swoon.

"You. Belong. To me."

Everything went still. Silence. Until a peal of laughter pierced their ears.

All he saw was Sakura bending over, clutching her stomach, while laughter shook her body.

"W-what..?"

"Oh, my dear Sasu-chan, you could _not _be more wrong. Because, you see," she let out another giggle.

"_You _belong to _me._"

Her eyes sparkle up at him filled with mischief and resoluteness. Of course she was right. No one could argue against that fact.

"_I knew it!" _Naruto screamed, jumping out from behind the bushes. Nobody pays him any attention.

She walks off from the crowd that had gathered around them and continues laughing freely to herself. The Uchiha was struck dumb. Utterly speechless until he realizes what she had just said. He runs after her before she disappears around the corner, determined to make her pay for making him look like an idiot.

"I didn't know they were a thing."

"Neither did I."

"I can't believe that idiot belongs to the beautiful Sakura-chan!"

Naruto approaches the others and gives them all a cheeky grin.

_Way to go, teme!_


	2. painting flowers

**title: **painting flowers  
**summary: **in which sasuke had to make sure that she's real  
**genre: **romance/sad but also cute  
**rating:** t  
**notes: **the song as a whole is angsty but i've had enough angst for this ship so please spare me

* * *

**chapter 2: painting flowers**

_When I wake up  
__My dream isn't done  
__I want to see your face  
__And know I made it home_

* * *

The nightmares never forget to pay him a visit, nor did his dreams, and tonight was not an exception. When Sasuke opened his eyes, the moon that he was used to seeing was covered by the ceiling that sheltered them.

He knew that he was home, but he had to make sure. One slight twist of his bicep, and he knew she was still in his arms. The feel of her body against his own should be enough for him to truly comprehend that they co-exist with each other, lying on the same bed, living under the same roof. It was enough, but he still wanted more.

He leaned slightly away from her, just to see her whole form clearly. Her lashes zip her eyes shut and her were slightly lips slightly apart, exhaling contentment.

_She's so cute_. The man was never the type to think or say of such mushy things, but Sakura defies that fact. Things don't always go the way they are to him, when it comes to her.

He continued to scan down to her legs, wrapped with his own. He didn't even remember his body claiming her. He never does. But when he woke up one day and she strut back to the room, a spatula in hand, and a curve on her mouth, she said_, Sasuke-kun, the closet cuddle-whore, is being summoned for breakfast_.

Oh god, the embarrassment. But it happened again that night, and the night after, and basically every night, and whatever she will say the next morning didn't matter.

Like right now.

Her arms attached itself to his waist. It was as if it was a bridge, an understanding between him and her. Only between him and her.

Sometimes, like tonight, Sasuke thinks if it was all a dream. For all the sins that he committed, did he really just open his eyes, waking up in the best way possible? It couldn't be true. He had to make sure.

"Tadaima"

He didn't expect her to be awake, so he was surprised when she responded by burying her face in the crook in his neck, muffling the laugh that emerged from her lips. The vibration reminded him that she was very much real.

"That is probably the thousandth time you said that since you arrived last week."

Sasuke's eyes still hasn't left her, even though the only thing that he could see were pink strands. "I just want to keep it real."

_I should be the one saying that_, Sakura wanted to say, but instead, she said the line that matched Sasuke's.

"Okaeri."


	3. kiss me

title: kiss me  
summary: because sometimes sakura still can't believe he's _here._  
genre: romance/fluffy fluff  
rating: k+ idk  
notes: these two idiots are definitely cuddlers

* * *

chapter 3: kiss me

_Settle down with me  
Cover me up_  
_Cuddle me in_  
_Lie down with me_  
_And hold me in your arms_

* * *

A hundred years wouldn't be enough to make Sakura forget the way Sasuke looks in his sleep.

But after not seeing him for a long time she has to admit that the little things have escaped her more than once. The way his eyebrows furrow as a particularly bad image interrupts his peaceful sleep, the way the breath rushes out of his lungs as the dream passes, and the way the lines from his face disappear once he's calm again. She could watch this forever and never get sick of it.

Even after being married for several years, every squeeze of his hand on her waist still sends her blood rushing to her cheeks and every whisper of her name still leaves goosebumps on her skin. Sometimes she still can't believe that he is _here_ and he is so very _real_.

She can't help it. She's spent too many nights without this man by her side and she can't help how relieved she feels just to have him home again. He lets out a breathy sigh and unconsciously pulls her tighter against him which makes her smile. She really can't help it.

Her mind takes her back to all the times he left her and all the times he came back for her and it makes her heart twist around his name. She lifts up her hand and, without even thinking about it, gently pokes his forehead with her forefinger. Sasuke's eyes open a fraction, confusion written all over his face. He usually doesn't like being woken up, after all, but after all these years he has learned to be patient with his wife.

"Sakura."

"Hmm?"

"… What are you doing?"

She laughs softly, not wanting to disturb the quiet, and shushes him. "I'm just glad you're here, Sasuke-kun."

And he swears her smile melts him a little as he nods and closes his eyes again. He can feel her warm fingers roaming his face, and to be honest, he doesn't mind at all. He smiles when her finger reaches the corner of his mouth because he knows exactly what to say.

She leans in to place the lightest of kisses on his lips and settles her head in the space between his neck and his shoulder, lips pressed on his warm skin. She can feel his heartbeat against her own, as whispered words slip from his mouth, so soft she couldn't have heard it if they weren't in this position. With his arms settled around her and their legs intertwined, he utters the words she'll never get tired of hearing.

"I'm home."


	4. can we dance?

**title: **can we dance?  
**summary: **because blames the alcohol, his friends, and his pride to back down from a challenge  
**genre: **friendship/romance/and a teaspoonful of humor  
**rating: **K+  
**notes: **AU.i enjoyed this one, i hope you do too!

* * *

**_chapter four: can we dance?_**

_I talk a lot of shit when I'm drinking, baby,_

_I'm known to go a little too fast_

_Don't mind all my friends, I know they're all crazy_

_But they're the only friends that I have_

_I know I don't know you, but I'd like to_

_Skip the small talk of romance, girl_

_That's all I had to say, so baby_

_Can we dance?_

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke don't socialize outside his friendship circle, (he believes it to be waste of time, and most people are obnoxious pieces of dirt anyway), but when he does, it's because alcohol started running his system, and the person he converses to is slightly better than the rest. Slightly.

Sasuke don't go to parties his friends throw, but when he does, he dances. All his friends' parties involve going to bars, if not, just staying at home. Anywhere, really, as long as there's some booze.

But that's not the point. Uchiha Sasuke and dancing had never been put in the same paragraph, much less the same sentence. Uchiha Sasuke dancing? Unheard of.

But that was exactly what happened at the night of his best friend's birthday. Some things were still blurry to him, even now, two days later after that . . . that event. He doesn't even want to remember it. Not that he does, but there was something he couldn't seem to forget. Pink hair. He knew he danced with a girl with pink hair. He hoped that she doesn't remember any of it. Forget the face, at least. To be remembered in such a sinful act is a serious wound to his pride.

"_Teme, hey Teme! No, you don't go away. Sasuke!" Sasuke's best friend (a title up for serious reconsideration) caught up to him. "Sasuke-teme, you told me you'd stay!"_

"_And you told me only our friends will be here. _Our friends_." Snapped Sasuke._

"_Well, other friends found out, and I didn't think it would be right if I don't— no Teme!"_

_Sasuke sighed. "What time will this party end?"_

_Naruto grinned._

The first one was quite embarrassing just to think about it, so why go to another? Because it was a dare. No, not by that dobe, no. It was a dare by another . . . associate. Sasuke decided it would be more mortifying to lose to Kiba.

When he entered the bar, the place was already vibrating. Whether it was because of the basslines, or the people grounding the dance floor, he was not sure. He sat at the barstool and looked around. His friends were still here, and though they let him have his "alone time," he still wanted to leave. The looks he had been receiving was starting to creep him out, but the voice behind him nearly made him jump. Nearly.

"No way."

"_Sakura-chan! Meet Teme. Teme, Sakura!"_

"_Hn."_

_The girl just raised her eyebrow at his reply. The girl, Sakura, was probably a foot lower than him, but her heels made her high enough for him to not stare down. She had pink hair ("_Pink!")_ and a glass of vodka in hand._

"_Naruto—" Sakura started as she turned to Sasuke's best friend, but the dobe already left. Sakura's gaze returned to him just as Sasuke turned back and decided to leave. He took a step, but stopped when he heard her mumble, "Oh gosh, rude. Nice to meet you too, Teme."_

_Sasuke turned around. "Did you just call me Teme?"_

"_That's your name, isn't it?" the edge of Sakura's mouth was twitching, a curve fighting its way up. But Sasuke just glared, took down a gulp of his own beer, then said, "Sasuke."_

Sasuke didn't want to turn. He just wanted to continue facing his back to unwanted memories, but sadly, his body disagreed. He faced the source of the voice.

"You." She said.

"Me," he replied. If he pretends to not remember her, would she leave?

"It's funny. I heard that the first time you actually went in a bar was that night, and yet I see you here, finishing another bottle of beer."

"Someone told me I needed to get out more, after all" No. _No_. He did not just say that. He already conditioned himself to pretend not to know her! Instead, he spouted out the words that she had told him that night. And during that time, despite the fact that he only started drinking when they already met much later on, the only moment that he could remember were the minutes he spent with her.

But he had no intention of letting her know that.

_Sakura smiled. "You don't interact much with other people, don't you? No, let me rephrase that," Sakura continued, ignoring the growing frown on his face. "You don't interact much with women, don't you?"_

"_Do too." Sasuke didn't know what made him answer so childishly, but the comment somehow struck his ego. Maybe he really needed to get out more._

"_Do those 'interactions' involve actual conversations? Or frowning and monosyllables?"_

_Seeing (and ignoring) his glare, she brought the rim of her glass to her lips, gulped, and let out a giggle._

"_You really should get out more."_

_Sasuke looked down, and when his eyes returned to her, it wasn't the hard eyes that she had been graced earlier. It was now challenging._

"_Are you offering?"_

_She pretended to think, then smiled and flounced away._

"And what brings you here tonight?"

His forearm was on the bar, leaning as he faced Sakura. Her fashion was different tonight, but she still had the same aura that caught his attention that night.

"Oh, it was Kiba. Told me something interesting might happen. I don't know what he was talking about, but I thought, 'why not?'"

Under Sasuke's expressionless face was an intent to murder the Inuzuka_. He should have known_.

Sakura waved her hand at the seat next to his. "Is this seat taken?"

He faced the bar again, shrugging as he did so. Sakura took the seat and ordered her own drink.

"What brings you here? You're looking pretty, tonight." Sakura said, then snorted, "as if you don't look pretty two nights before. I'd assume you're just always handsome and hides because the world might not handle it."

Sasuke stared at her. "Are you always this talkative?"

"Are you always that quiet?" Sakura asked, then faced her cocktail and muttered, "Why did I even ask, of course you are."

"You talk as if you've known me long enough. I take it you remember that night?"

Sakura grinned up at him. "You were quite the dancer."

Sasuke tried his best not to groan out loud.

_After Sasuke's encounter with Sakura, he spent the next few hours sipping at his drink and sulking at the corner. No, he doesn't want to go to the middle and socialize. No, he doesn't want to scream out his lungs. He certainly doesn't want to grind his body along with others on the dance floor. He wanted to go home._

_After ignoring unwanted invitations to dancing (and more), he scanned the room for the nth time, and immediately spotted the girl with pink hair, dancing with someone. He frowned. Does she really want to lower herself down for something they call fun? No, not literally lower herself d— he couldn't even think of it._

_Of all the people who exchanged words with him, she was the only one who had the nerve to smirk at him. To be amused of him. To assume that he does not have enough social skills. The nerve of that woman!_

_Sasuke allowed himself to smile. He had to admit, she sure was something._

_He doesn't even know anymore if the thoughts were his own, or if the alcohol is influencing his train of thought. Did he care? At the moment, not really. Was he aware that he was approaching the girl? Barely._

"Look, I'm sorry, I had enough alcohol to spout out some shit—" the rest of the sentence was drowned out by the remix of the DJ. Actually, it was interrupted by multiple factors.

One, the sound of the remix blaring through the speakers, yes.

Two, the sound of footwear bouncing to the beat of the music, with their hands stationed in the air (and some places he couldn't see). Seriously, is that what they call dancing?

Three, the memory that he and Sakura were in _similar _position two nights ago, and a reenactment of the said night suddenly seemed to appeal to Sasuke's mind (and body).

Sakura slightly turned her head to the side, exposing the bare space between the neckline of her top and her tucked hair, her ear almost facing him. Her lips parted as she did so, an indication that she wanted to hear what he was going to say.

Sasuke looked away. He never bothered to ask a girl to dance before, why should he give attempt now? He never asked to dance, it's the other people who ask him. Why should this be any different?

"We should dance," he said. And he knew that in the days to come, he would blame the alcohol for what had happened.

But Sakura just slowly blinked and let out a breath of amusement. "I've heard better invitations than that one."

"Oh?"

"Yes."

Sasuke lowered his head without taking his eyes of her. He raised an eyebrow in challenge as he said, "Care to show me?"

"_Sakura"_

_The pink-haired girl turned to Sasuke and smirked, "decided to join the fun?"_

_Sasuke just stared back at her, then said, "Dance with me."_

_It turned out the people who surrounded them that moment were all his friends. No, he wouldn't call them friends, those assholes. But he knows them all, and worst of all, they all know him. And when they heard his demand, they all screamed, and teased, and shouted. And, of course, Naruto was the loudest of them all._

"_Finally, Teme!"_

"_Someone finally cracked Uchiha!"_

"_Wooh! Did someone take a video? This is not something we should forget!"_

"_He's drunk, isn't he?"_

"_Ooohhh Uchiha Sasuke finally decided a girl— no, _someone_ is worth his time? The Uchiha Sasuke?!"_

"_Who are you and where is the real Sasuke?!"_

"_Guys, a picture at least?"_

_There were so much more, so much that Sasuke could only process several comments, but he was pretty sure he heard a "No! The ever so youthful Sakura-chan is being taken away by another blossom of a lover!" _

_What the hell?_

_But despite the commotion, Sakura seemed to ignore them all, and just raised her eyebrows at him._

"_Seriously? Is that how you really ask a dance from a woman?"_

"_Is that really how women respond when someone wanted to dance with them?"_

"_Only to those who had an unusual way of asking, or in your case, demanding."_

_Sasuke frowned. What has he been saying? Of course that's not how you ask a girl to dance! His mother would strangle him if ever she heard of this._

_He took a breath, and asked, "Can we dance?"_

Throughout the night, he had his hands on her waist, and hers around his neck. They swayed gently to the music that clearly doesn't matched their pace. All around them were their friends, hooting, shamelessly laughing, and chanting their names.

_He never imagined that sometime in the days to come, they would be in similar fashion; forehead to forehead, arms in near embrace, with his voice that hummed a deep "Can we dance?" and a chuckle for a reply, followed by a, "You need not ask."_


	5. latch

title: latch  
summary: in which uchiha sasuke attempts to propose.  
genre: romance/humor like always  
notes: this was based on an amazing reddit post which i'll post a link to down below

* * *

chapter five: latch

_I'm latching on, babe_

_Now I know what I have found_

_I feel we're close enough_

_Could I lock in your love?_

* * *

Sasuke had it all planned out. He would ask Kakashi to give Sakura a break from missions and Tsunade to give her the day off from the hospital. Then he would proceed to her apartment under the guise that he was just there to spend the day with his lovely girlfriend.

He'd bring flowers and a picnic basket filled with her favourite food and take her to the highest rooftop in Konoha where no one knew they liked to hide. They'd talk - actually, _she'd_ talk, while he would just stare at her - and they'd have a good time, just the two of them. He would have made reservations at the restaurant where they had their first official date, and before you think about it, _no_ it's not Ichiraku's. They didn't even have ramen for god's sake. And Sasuke wasn't the dobe. He had more class than that.

Where was he?

Oh right, dinner. After a full course they'd take a walk outside, since the streets are a lot quieter at night. He'd take her hand and hold it the whole time because even if he wouldn't admit it to anyone, he's a sucker for holding hands. She'd be too distracted to figure out where he was leading her and she'd only realize it when he'd be down on one knee with the ring at his fingertips extended out to her. She'd gasp and maybe tear up, and he'd say the words he always wanted to say to her.

That this was the place where he left the village - and more importantly _her_ \- for the first time and that he would never leave her like that again, without the knowledge that he'd always come back for her. He'd swear that he would always come back for her and that he wanted to always stay by her side, if she would let him. She would be smiling and she'd say yes and kiss him while he's still on the ground, and they'd spend the rest of the night together, relishing in their own little bubble until the news inevitably spreads.

Ah, yes, it was the perfect plan. Even Uchiha Sasuke had a romantic bone in his body.

So… when exactly did everything go wrong?

* * *

He blames it on his unquenchable need to have _everything_ go perfectly. And what was the most important thing in a proposal (aside from declaring one's love and commitment)? The engagement ring, of course.

The first time he went to the jeweller's he spent hours trying to find the _perfect_ ring and luckily, he did find it, no thanks to Naruto's incessant chattering about what girls really like. It was a simple ring, nothing too fancy that would get in the way of Sakura's busy lifestyle, and it immediately made him think of her. The rose gold band was elegant and it cradled the white crystal which was just the right size. Not too big to be called gaudy and not too small that she would think he wasn't willing to spend on her.

"Have you found the one, sir?" The jeweller asked, having made his way to Sasuke. The Uchiha regarded the ring once more, happy to have found it, and nodded.

"Yes, I think so."

"Wonderful choice. And what size would you need?" Sasuke froze, while the man looked at him questioningly. _Rings have sizes?_ No one warned him about that! The jeweller probably sensed his confusion, _dammit Uchiha, now how do you expect everything to go smoothly_, and smiled gently.

"If you don't know it yet, I could hold onto this for you until you figure it out. Try asking one of her friends if you have any trouble." Sasuke thanked the jeweller profusely before dragging Naruto out of the store and trying to think of how to get Sakura's size without her suspecting anything.

* * *

Naruto called an emergency meeting because apparently the more heads thinking on the problem, the better. And by emergency meeting he meant the people who were _already_ at the ramen stall.

"Yo! Who wants to help Sasuke with his proposal-ttebayo?" Sasuke smacked him upside the head and glared at the blond.

"Not so loud, dobe. Do you _want_ the entire village to hear?" Sasuke growled, pissed that he had to resort to asking for _help_.

"Right, right. Guys it's a secret!" Naruto just grins, unfazed by Sasuke's dour expression.

Sasuke took his place at the end of the stall, barely listening to these fools offer suggestions after Naruto explained the situation. Kiba suggested he just steal one of Sakura's rings and have the jeweller measure it but Sakura didn't own any. Shikamaru muttered something about just asking her (_why are couples so troublesome_). The others either couldn't think of anything or were too busy eating (Chouji) or were too quiet that nobody could have possibly heard (Shino) or were too depressed about Sakura getting engaged to some other guy (Lee).

Just when Sasuke was about to give up all hope, who else walked in but his girlfriend's best friend.

"What are you guys yammering on about this time?" She asked, taking the empty seat next to the Uchiha.

"Yamanaka," the jeweller _did_ suggest asking her friends, "Do you know what ring size fits Sakura?" Ino's eyes widened almost comically at his question.

"It's about damn time, Uchiha! Do you know how many times she's asked me why it was taking so long? '_Do you think he doesn't want to marry me, Ino? Is he just stringing me along, Ino? I just love Sasuke-kun so much, Ino!_' God, I love the girl, but you have to shut her up!" Sasuke was sure that Ino was just exaggerating but had no idea that Sakura was already thinking about marriage. Though he had to admit the idea had been in his mind for a while now too. He was just glad that she wanted this as much as he did.

"Okay, rant over, back to the issue at hand. No, I don't know Sakura's ring size, she never even wears them." Sasuke sighed, just another dead end. "But," he whipped his head back to face her and everyone leaned in to hear, "I _do_ have a plan."

Uchiha Sasuke did not trust the Yamanaka's smirk.

* * *

Sasuke should have refused the second he realized that Ino's plan involved getting Sakura drunk. But he was desperate and growing even more antsy every second he spent not engaged to the woman he loved. Cheesy, yes, but true nonetheless.

Ino instructed him and the other boys to wait for her and Sakura at the bar while she tried to convince her friend to come along. It was Friday, after all, what better way to celebrate the coming weekend? No doubt Sakura would have just arrived home from her shift at the hospital, tired and just wanting to go to sleep. Which was even better, said the blonde kunoichi, because a drunk _and_ tired Sakura would definitely be out cold by the end of the night.

Waiting at the bar with the rest of the boys was doing nothing for Sasuke's frayed nerves. What if she figured it out and ended up hating him for purposely trying to get her drunk? What if she _doesn't_ get knocked out? What if she woke up while they were in the middle of testing rings on her finger? His leg wouldn't stop shaking so Naruto punched it to get him to stop.

"Would ya quit worrying? This plan is foolproof!" Naruto yelled, already on his third bottle. Sasuke just grunted, swirling the drink in his glass, too queasy to down anything.

He momentarily forgot the situation he was in when Sakura walked into the bar, her eyes scanning the crowd before finding his almost immediately. When she smiled and waved so innocently at him, the guilt from what he was about to do was almost too much. Naruto nudged his side a little too harshly with his elbow, which made Sasuke straighten up to go greet his girlfriend.

"Ino told me you'd be here," she said as soon as he got to her, smiling up at him and kissing him on the cheek.

"Hn, the dobe dragged me into this," he replied, leaning into her kiss.

"Funny, so did my blonde."

They walked towards the table their friends occupied, most of them already a few drinks ahead. Sakura greeted all of them and sat in the empty seat between Ino and Sasuke.

"Sakuraaa!" Naruto exclaimed, turning towards his teammate. "You're way too sober. You gotta catch up!" And with that he thrust a newly opened bottle of beer towards Sakura.

"Oh, what the hell," she muttered, as she took a huge gulp in one go. Sakura wasn't as fond of alcohol as her shishou, but she was known for letting it loose after a hard day's work. Ino let is slip to Sasuke that today had been a particularly gruelling day, so they wouldn't need to coax her to drink that much. Sure enough, just an hour later, Sakura was barely capable of forming a whole sentence. Or at least one that made sense.

She was pretty much passed out, her whole body leaning against Sasuke, murmuring under her breath about antidotes to different snake bites. It was almost like she was lulling herself to sleep because just a few more minutes later, her breathing had calmed down and she was softly snoring next to her boyfriend's ear.

"Sasuke!" Ino hissed. "Now!" She took several rings from out of her purse, both hers and borrowed. Sasuke carefully took Sakura's left hand and one by one tried on the rings. Everyone was watching silently, holding their breath, for fear of Sakura waking up. It wasn't that they were scared of what the kunoichi would do, but rather what her moody soon-to-be-fiancée would if they ruined his plan.

After trying a few that were too loose, he finally found several that fit nicely. "Somewhere between 3.5 and 4," he muttered, making a mental note to himself. The rest of the group seemed ready to cheer but he silenced them with a glare. He quietly gathered the rings and gave them back to Ino, who shoved them into her purse before Sakura could notice anything going on around her.

"Success!" Naruto whisper shouted, and everyone lapsed back into normal conversation while Sasuke gently prodded Sakura awake and excused them so that he could take her home. He would have carried her all the way back to her apartment, but she refused, prideful as she was, so he settled her arm around his shoulders and placed his grip on her waist so that she wouldn't fall over.

She was strong, no doubt about it, she could definitely punch him straight into the ground, but she was light enough that he had no trouble helping her walk. But he couldn't help but be relieved when he finally got her stumbling into her bed. He could already hear her snoring softly once again, which made the corners of his mouth lift up into a smile. He couldn't wait to finally get that ring, so after he made sure that Sakura was comfortable and had a glass of water by her bedside, he locked her front door behind him and made his way back to his own house, eager to get an early start come morning.

* * *

Sasuke walked out of his house as soon as the sun was out. He headed straight to the jeweller's who greeted him with a smile and a glint in his eye that said he remembered the young Uchiha well.

"Back so soon? I hope you didn't have much trouble investigating."

"No trouble at all. Either 3.5 or 4 will do, I believe." The man nodded at him and went to the back of his store to fetch the ring Sasuke needed.

Sasuke couldn't wait to get his plan into action, so as soon as he inspected the ring for any sign of imperfection and finding none, he gladly handed the jeweller the money and exited the shop, wondering where Sakura was at that moment.

He stopped in his tracks as a thought occurred to him. Since he already had the perfect plan, shouldn't he be absolutely sure that the ring was perfect too? He really didn't want to, but he decided to wait for a few more days, until he could get Sakura that heavily asleep again to test out the ring.

The opportunity presented itself to him in the form of a certain Yamanaka's birthday party. Sakura, being the best friend, was pretty much obligated to drink with the birthday girl. Which she was fine with when Sasuke promised to look after her and make sure she did nothing too stupid. Of course, he had to let her drink a little more than what she would have, just so he could have her deeply sleeping again. And it worked with no problem at all, to his rare delight.

He brought her back to her apartment much like the way he did the first time he planned to get her pretty much knocked out. This time when he brought her to her bed, he sat at the edge, with the ring already clenched in one of his hands.

He gently ran his fingers along her hand, and when she didn't stir, he applied a little more pressure. Once he was sure she was dead asleep, he slipped the ring onto her finger and it fit with only a bit of resistance. Satisfied with his discovery, he began taking the ring off again so he could keep it back in its box until the next day when he would set his plan into motion.

He shouldn't have expected everything to go so smoothly.

He tried slipping the ring off of Sakura's finger but it just wouldn't move past her knuckle. It was _stuck_. Damn it all to _hell_. Panic was starting to build inside Sasuke. He tugged and twisted the ring every which way but it was hopeless, even as he grabbed her wrist and pulled with all his might, without tearing her hand off completely.

Suddenly the hand was snatched away from his grasp. He looked up in shock to see the matching expression on Sakura's face, if not even more surprised. He heard her take in a gasp, afraid of what her reaction would be. He had nothing to lose though, so with an embarrassed look on his face, he asked her the question she most definitely wanted to hear.

"Sakura… will you marry me?"

She stared at him for a second trying to comprehend the situation. Then she laughed, tears threatening to spill from her eyes, as his cheeks flooded with warmth.

"Yes, Sasuke-kun, you big idiot. Of course I'll marry you!" Sasuke let a rare full smile grace his features as she flung her arms around his neck, kissing him wholeheartedly, her own smile taking over her complete shock. He wrapped his own arms around her, pulling her tight against him. They spent the rest of the night lying in her bed while she held up an outstretched arm, marvelling at the engagement ring. She couldn't wait to tell Ino everything that happened.

* * *

Based on this reddit post: t . co / 5HiRjWISEB


End file.
